John Tolva, Chicago’s tech guru, was recently interviewed on why Chicago is the locus for a new approach to urban design.

Last week, the Chicago Architecture Foundation opened “City of Big Data,” an exhibition about the relationship between information and design. John served as the lead advisor for this show, appropriating his expert knowledge on big data and how it is used in urban design.

But what, exactly, does big data tell us about architecture? Does it give us insight into the urban condition? Does it make places more livable, more equitable, more fun? Does it limn the contours of future cities?